From the order of battle it is necessary to return to some one of the orders of sailing ; and with respect to the three first of these, it will be merely necessary for the ships in the line to tack, or bear away, in the assigned directions, increasing or diminishing sail, so that they may arrive in their proper positions nearly at the same time. In returning to the fifth order of sailing, there are two cases, which con sist in performing the manoeuvres on the same and on the opposite tack. In the first case, should it be required that the van may I ecome the weather squadron, the van and centre tack together and stand on, while the rear proceeds in its actual course ; then, when the rear comes successively abreast of the centre and van squadrons, these re tack, and thus three parallel columns are formed. In the second case, the van being to form the weather squadron, the ships in van first tack in succession, then the ships in the centre, and lastly those in the rear. All then keep on, till the corresponding ships in the ent squadrons get abreast of each other, when the order is formed. The evolutions differ, of course, from those just mentioned when the van is to form the lee, and when it is to form the centre squadron.
In the order of retreat before the wind, the ships are drawn up in two equal divisions, in lines making an angle of 135° with each other ; the admiral's ship remaining to windward of the rest of the fleet, and being at the angular point.
If a fleet is much superior in force to that of the enemy, it will be of little moment whether it comes to action on the windward or the leeward side;'and each of these situations when taken, either by a fleet or a single 'ship, has both advantages and defects. The advantages of gaining tho weather-gage, as it is called, aro that in such a situa tion a fleet may approach that of the enemy, and it may commence the engagement when it shall appear most oenvenient : ships may be detached to the rear in order to turn the enemy's line and put it in confusion, and a ship may board its opponent almost at will : iu firing also, the windward ahipe are but little incommoded by the smoke. On the other hand, the disadvantages of being to windward are, the diffi culty of retreat without passing through the enemy's line ; disabled ships cannot quit the line without disordering the rest of the fleet, and in stormy weather the lower-deck ports can seldom be opened. When a fleet is to leeward of that of the enemy, the ships which may be dismasted can be readily drawn away, and the whole fleet may retire if unable to contend against a superior force.
If a fleet to leeward of the enemy's line should attempt to gain the windward side, it should manoeuvre so as to delay the engagement for a time in the hope that a change of wind in its favour may take place, and it must then endeavour to take advantage of such change. In these circumstances the commander must however keep the enemy in sight, or at least be must obtain a knowledge of his manoeuvres by means of frigates detached for the purpose. If unable to succeed in getting to windward, it should be drawn up on a line as short as possible, in which case, that of the enemy being more extended, some of the ships in it must either take no part in the engagement, or, leaving their line in order to bear down, they will lose the advantage of the wind. On the other hand, a weather fleet should be manceuvred
so as always to keep that which is to leeward quite abreast of it ; sines then, unless the wind should shift, it will continue to hold its position.
When it is desired to bring on an action against a fleet in line on the leeward side, the general rule is that the weather fleet should get abreast of the other, then bear down upon it till within the proper distance, and form in order of battle. Should the leeward fleet bear away at a certain angle with the wind in order to avoid the engage ment, the other may bear away at a still greater angle ; then, according to the relation between the distance of the fleets from one another and the extent of the weather line of ships, the latter will cut the other in some particular part of its length, and thus compel it to fight in dis advantageous circumstances. Again, if being to leeward of the enemy, it be necessary to avoid an engagement, the only resource is to bear away in order of retreat. if to windward, the fleet shOuld, if possible, in retreating, keep constantly on one tack, in order to avoid the loss of time occupied in going about; but if from want of room it be necessary to change the course, the fleet may be kept on one tack during all the time that the enemy is on the other : for thus the two fleets will be constantly diverging from one another.
It is observed by Mr. Clerk, in his ' Essay on Naval Tactics,' that when an enemy's fleet is to leeward, and in that situation is to be brought to action, both fleets being in line of battle, if the ships in the weather-line bear directly down upon the others, those in the van are liable to be disabled in their rigging ; and thus, their motion being retarded, disorder must ensue in the dispositions of the ships which follow them. Precisely the same disadvantages, he adds, attend the method of coming with the whole fleet, in line of battle, obliquely upon the line of the enemy ; and to these faulty modes of attack he ascribes the damages which have so frequently been sustained by British fleets at the commencement of actions. The method proposed by that writer for coming to an engagement against a fleet to leeward is similar to that of an attack in oblique order on land, and consists in detaching a squadron for the purpose of attacking some of the rear ships in the enemy's line : the squadron should engage the ships broad side to broadside while the rest of the fleet is at a distance, prepared to send support if necessary. Then, should the van and centre of the enemy's fleet continue its course in order to avoid a general action, those rear ships will be taken : if any of the van ships should tack successively in order to support the rear, some other ships of their line will be in danger of being taken by a second squadron detached from the windward fleet ; and if the whole line should tack together, the disorder thence arising might cause the loss of more ships, or might bring on a general action at a disadvantage to the leeward fleet. Lastly, if this fleet should veer, and bear away, the ships would become ex posed to a raking fire in their retreat.